Locomotive boiler



1933- G. J. CHRISTENSON 1,939,662

LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Filed May 14, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1933- G. J.CHRISTENSON 1,939,652

LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Filed May 14, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 11 fi/erzzar:

621st] all-Henson,

Patented Dec. 19, 1933 UNITED STA LOCOMOTIVE nomm Gust J. Christenson,Chicago, Ill., assignor to Locomotive Firebox Company, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Delaware Application May 14, 1932. Serial No. 611,356

2 Claims. ((71. 122-68) This invention relates to improvements in 10-comotive boilers, and it consistsof the matters hereinafter describedand more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The primary object of the invention is to improve the water circulatingand steaming characteristics of a siphon equipped locomotive boilerwherein theinlet neck of the siphon is connected to the boiler barrel ata'point in advance of the neck by means including flexible conduitwhereby the siphon may move in accordance with expansion and contractiondue to temperature changes and this without the'necessity of slip jointsand ball and socket joint fittings.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction for thispurpose whereby the flexible conduit employed, may be readily removedand replaced and when in place, eliminates the possibility of leakageunder the action of normal boiler pressures.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as well as others,together with the many advantages thereof, will more fully appear as Iproceed with my specification.

In the drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the firebox endof a locomotive boiler embodying the preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail longitudinal vertical sectional view on an enlargedscale through parts shown in the bottom right hand corner of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale as taken onthe line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view through a part of theboiler as taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing adifferent kind of flexible conduit which may be advantageously employedin connection with my invention. 1

In general, my improved boiler includes the conventional shell andfirebox of a locomotive boiler and in part of the firebox is located aflat, hollow, water steaming and circulating element now "known in therailroad industry as a Nicholson thermic siphon. Such a siphon includesa flat hollow body disposed longitudinally of the firebox and fixed butopening at one end through the crownsheet. The other end of said siphonterminates in a tubular neck which opens through a part of the boilershell and has connections with another part thereof whereby water fromsaid shell may pass into said neck. It is apparent that because oftemperature changes, the siphon body and neck expand and contract tocome and go and some provisions must be made for such movements.

Heretoforathe siphon neck has been connected to said other part of theboiler shell by a slip joint fitting in connection with a ball andsocket joint fitting to accommodate such movements but such fittingsrequire constant attention to keep them tight because of the packingnecessary therein.

Again, the initial cost of such fittings must be considered and theyrequire considerable labor when it becomes necessary to renew the-same.

Inthe present instance, instead of employing slip joint and ball andsocket joint fittings to provide the flexibility required, I employflexible conduit having tight end connections with associated flangesand such conduit with the flanges there,- on, can be inserted in placeand removed with but small expense. Such conduit eliminates slip jointand ball and socket joint fittings with attending troubles and costs agreat deal less and at the same time permits the siphons to come and goin their movements without chance of leaking under boiler pressures. l

Flexible conduit for this purpose may be either of two types, both ofwhich may be purchased in open market. One type is made from a metallicstrip so helically wound into a tube form that its edges overlap andinterlock together, with the tube thereafter enclosed in a braidedjacket. The

other type is formed by chasing a deep conof flexible metal hose and inthe first type, the

flexibility is obtained by-the sliding or play of the locked overlappedjoints, while the second type is not only extremely flexible but issomewhat extensible in length. Such flexible metal hose is availablewith many kinds of pressure proof flange fittings and the selection 01'such fittings is a matter of choice.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention, illustratedin the accompanying drawings, and especially in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 thereof: 1 indicates the back sheet of the firebox and 2 indicates the fluesheet thereof. The sides of the firebox are formed by the side sheets3-3 and the top is formed by the transversely curved or arched crownsheet 4 which merges into said side sheets. Said side sheets togetherwith the crown sheet extend between and are connected at their ends tothe back sheet and flue sheet respectively, in the manner well known.

The wrapper of the boiler includes a roof sheet 5, a back head 6, theusual outer firebox sheets bottom wall of the body of and front throatplate '7, together with a boiler shell 8, all in the manner well known.

The front and rear water legs 9 and 10 respec tively, and the side waterlegs of the boiler are all closed at the bottom by a mud ring 11. In theback head and back sheet respectively, is formed the fuel door opening12 and extending forwardly from the flue sheet 2 are the fines and tubes13 through which the products of combustion are drawn to the smoke boxat the front end of the boiler (not shown) in the manner well known. 7

The various associated sheets are suitably staybolted as is the practicein locomotive boiler work. In the bottom of theflue sheet and in thefront throat plate respectively, are fixed the ends of a tube or sleeve14, which provides a pressure-tight opening or passageway through thefront water leg of the boiler, the purpose of which will later appear.

In connection with the firebox structure-of the boiler just described,there is provided therein, a flat tubular water circulating and steamingelement indicated asa whole by thenumeral 15 and which has now becomewell-known as the Nicholson thermic siphon. The number of such siphonsused in a firebox is of course, dependent upon the width of the fireboxand in this instance, the flrebox contains twoof such siphons, spacedequally one upon each side of the longitudinal line of the firebox as awhole.

This element .is substantially triangular when viewed in side elevationand has a laterally flanged top end 16 which is fixed in alongitudinally elongated opening in the crown sheet to provide thedischarge mouth or end of the siphon that opens into the water and steamspace of the boiler above the crown sheet. The front end of each siphonis substantially vertical while its bottomend is inclined downwardly andforwardly to terminate in a tubular neck 17. The forward end portion ofeach-neck is formed to extend downwardly through an associated sleeve'14 to terminate a short distance in advance of the front water leg.

The extremity of said end of each neck extends into and is welded to oneend of the tubular body of a header fitting 13 which includes a pair ofbranches 19 and 20, one of which is longer than the other and eachbranch is provided at its extremity with a radial flange 21. In the thisheader is located a clean-out plug 18a.

Depending from the bottom of the boiler shell at a point spacedlongitudinally forward of the header fitting 18 is a well 22 of anL-shaped cross section. This well includes a transversely extendingperpendicular tubular body 23 flanged .at its, top end for attachment tothe boiler shell and laterally spaced pairs of longitudinally offset,rearwardly facing flanges 24, one flange of each pair being connected tothe body by a neck 25. The offset of said flanges24 in eachpaircorresponds to the offset of the flanges of the asso- 9 dated headerfitting 18 so that the distance between one flangeon a header fittingand its associated flange on the well is substantially the sameas thedistance between the other flange of said header fitting and itsassociated flange on the well. This offsetting of the flanges of boththe header fittings and well makes it easier to employ flanges of largerdiameter without unduly increasing the distances between the centersthereof so that room is conserved where room or space-is constricted.Therefore, the various parts do not interfere with other parts of thelocomotive of which the boiler forms a part.

Each header is connected to the well by a pair of flexible conduits 26and upon each end of each tube is secured a flange 27 which is formedfor a seated engagement with the like flanges of the header and wellrespectively. Said tube flanges, header and well flanges may beconnected together in any suitable manner. Preferably said flanges havea bolted on connection so as to permit of easy assembly and disassemblyWhereby they may be removed and replaced when it becomes so necessary.

} The conduit illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 includes a flexibletubular core 26a made of a strip of metal so helically wound that itsedges overlap and interlock and this core is enclosed in a braided wirejacket 26b and is classified as one of the types of flexible metal hoseand which is available in the open market. Such a hose readilywithstandsv the steam pressures used in locomotive boilers.

In Fig. 5, I have illustrated a slightly modified form of constructionembodying'therem a different kind of conduit also classified as aflexible metal hose. Such a conduit is here shown as a thin walledannularly corrugated tube 29 formed by chasing a continuous groove in aseamless tube. Such a conduit or flexible metal hose is provided at eachend with a flange 28 for detachable engagement with the flanges of boththe header fittings and well asbefore described. As is apparent, such aconduit not only has flexibility but is also capable of someextensibility.

When the siphon within the firebox is exposed to the products ofcombustion, it will of course, expand to some extent and as the top oroutlet end of the siphon in anchored. in the crown sheet, such movementas is produced not only in such expansion but also in the contractionthereof takes place at the inlet end thereof. Thus any elongatedmovement of the siphon neck as well as any lateral movement thereof isaccommodated by the flexible conduit connections provided between suchnecks and'the well.

The parts are so disposed as to clear all locomotive frame and springsand rigging parts and may be easily removed for replacement or otherpurposes. As all of the connections described are located outside theboiler shell, they are easily accessible.

While in describing the invention, I have referred in detail to theform, arrangement and construction of the various parts thereof, thesame is to be considered as illustrative only, so that I do not wish tobe limited thereto except as may be specificaliy pointed out in theappended claims. p

I claim as my invention:-

1. A locomotive firebox including a shell and a firebox, a watercirculating and steaming elet arranged in a part of said firebox and inack extending through and beyond the water leg of the boiler, meansproviding a connected to and depending from the shell a point in advanceof the water leg and means p-rising a plurality of flexible conduitshaving .nged coupling connections with said inlet neck snd wellrespectively, the ends of one conduit 'eing off-set longitudinally withrespect to the ends of the 0th conduit and which conduits e distanceless than the comined radii two adjacent coupling flanges.

2. A locomotive firebox including a shell and a firebox, a watersteaming and circulating ele- IUO ment arranged in a part of saidfirebox and including a neck extending through and beyond the frontwater leg of the boiler, a fitting connected at one end to said neckoutside the shell and having longitudinally offset coupling flanges atthe other'end, a well secured to and depending from the shell in advanceof the front water leg and including longitudinally offset coupling

